Questions for Restasis users

[Rebecca Petris]

A reputable dry eye investigator who has no commercial relationship with Allergan or any other drug company is exploring the feasibility of a study to determine whether Restasis vials become contaminated when used for more than a single administration.

They would like to learn from dry eye patients their various re-use habits and storage systems.

Relevant information includes:
- for how long do you use one vial (1 dose, 1 day, more than 1 day)
- where do you keep the open vial (bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, refrigerator)
- do you have specific storage routines (in a shot glass; in a Kleenex; in a specified stable location but not otherwise enclosed)
- do you plug the opening with an object (toothpick, needle, safety pin)
- do you travel with open vials (briefcase, luggage) and if so how do you protect the vial.

As an example:

1 vial used for 3 doses = 1 ½ days; stored uncovered in bathroom, to left of sink, on upper edge of backsplash, leaning against clean area of wall; tip not covered and in contact with the wall.

[jenny2008]

I use 1 vial used for 4 doses a day-I keep it covered w/ it's closeable cap in a small container in my purse. __________________

[Jen72]

a vial lasts about 2 days (4 doses)
stored in the refrigerator with the cap provided standing up in a small cup
dont travel with open vials, discard if it can not be refrigerated after opened

[bassfan]

a vial lasts about 2 days (4 doses)
stored in the refrigerator with the cap provided standing up in a small cup
dont travel with open vials, discard if it can not be refrigerated after opened

Dont use it anymore but for the short time that I did, this is the way I operated.

Daren

[Toril]

I use a vial 2 times, and it's opened for maximum 24 hours. I keep it in a shotglas, put in a box in the fridge. When I travel and stay in hotels with no fridge, I don't reuse the vial.

Toril

[Julie1]

1 vial used for 4 doses = 2 days; stored uncovered on Kleenex on dresser in bedroom. Do not travel with open vials. Immediately toss vial if tip touches fingers or another surface that I don't think is clean.

[odydnas]

I use 1 vial for 2 doses. I store the opened vial in a fresh ziplock sandwich bag in the refrigerator. I do not travel with opened vials.

[Silverlady]

my routine

I use one vial per day. A drop in each eye in the morning and a drop in each eye at night. Then I toss the vial. I store the vial in a ziplock baggie standing up in a shot glass in the baggie, in my bathroom, in a drawer. (I put both shotglass and vial in the baggie) If I drop it, touch the top to anything I toss the vial. I do not plug the vial with anything. Clear as mud I know.

Billye

[Teri]

My restasis routine

I use each vial for 4 doses = 2 days (one drop in each eye, twice a day, for two days). I have a small blue holder (it says "allergan" on it, given to me by my eye doc) that keeps the vial upright.

I store the opened vials in the holder, inside a medicine cabinet. Now that they have a re-usable cap, I put the cap on and then place the vial in the holder.

If I can't store the opened vials in the holder (e.g. when I'm traveling), I discard the vials after using. (Although, now that they have the reusable caps, I will probably just put the cap back on and put the vial into a ziploc baggie.)

I second the person who said that if anything touches the tip, I throw the vial away.

(As an aside, I believe that I have received trays of restasis that are "bad." Twice I have gotten trays that are ineffective and once I switch to a new tray, one with a different lot number, the restasis starts working again.)

[kitty]

When I used it, I got 2 doses per vial/24 hours. I stored the open vial in a shot glass on my kitchen counter, making sure nothing touched the tip of the vial. The insert says not to refrigerate so I didn't. If I forgot a dose and did not use the vial in 24 hours, I would toss it.

[Jen72]

The insert says not to refrigerate so I didn't. If I forgot a dose and did not use the vial in 24 hours, I would toss it.

Huh, I did not know that about refrigeration, do you think that it can lose its potency? My Dr. was the one who said to store it in the fridge.

[alisonW]

I used it for two years....

Relevant information includes:

- for how long do you use one vial - 2 doses - morning and night
- where do you keep the open vial - bathroom shelf
- do you have specific storage routines - on a kleenex
- do you plug the opening with an object - no
- do you travel with open vials - no, I did not

Hth!

[woodart]

Vials

When I used it I just kept going until it was gone. Meaning it could be 2 days or 4 uses. I just laid it back in the tray it came in with the cover on. Not sure I ever went over 2 days but I used it all even is it did just one eye before opening the next one.

[shells]

I use 1 vial per day = 2 doses. Vial stored lying flat on night stand in bedroom with cap placed back on (this is since they changed the vial......previously, i would place the open vial under a plastic shield since the cap could not be placed back on). If I travel with open vials, I keep them in a sandwich bag in my purse, but that usually never happens since I use at night and then the next morning then discard.

[MyDryEyes]

1 vial = 4 doses (two days)
Store in the tray that it came in on side with reusable cap
I keep it refridgerated
If traveling, I would use for just one dose and discard.

Guess maybe I should think about storing it upright!!